Barbara Parker holds top spot in UK 3,000m steeplechase rankings

Brendon Byrne
Friday, December 28, 2012
5.54 PM

A number of local athletes are prominent at national level, according to the recently published ranking list.

Barbara Parker is the British number one at the 3,000m steeplechase having set a British record of 9 mins 24.24 secs. The American-based athlete represented GB at the London Olympics in both the steeplechase and the 5,000m. Having set a British record in the ‘chase it is curious that she has been taken off the all-important lottery funding for 2013.

Mitch Goose ran a sub four-minute mile in the United States early in the year and went on to represent GB in the European Championships in Helsinki. Chris Baker (Loughborough) jumped 2.20m early in the year to be the fifth-ranked high jumper in the country. Another athlete based in the US was James McLachlan. Sadly for the Wymondham athlete his season was ruined by injury, but he still managed to long jump 7.71m.

Great Yarmouth athlete Sophie McKinna is ranked fourth in the UK in the shot even as a junior (under 20) – she dominated the junior ranking lists with a throw of 16.23m, which is a metre further than any other athlete. Sophie competed with distinction in the World Junior Championships in Barcelona.

Michael Painter, who also represented GB in the Barcelona games, was ranked second in the junior hammer with a season’s best of 73.34m. Close behind him was Callum Brown – with a best of 73.09m – who did win the English Schools senior title at Gateshead.